Billy Joe Shaver

Old Five And Dimers Like Me

The tipping point in Billy Joe Shaver's career came when Waylon Jennings recorded 'Honky Tonk Heroes.' They first met at the Dripping Springs Reunion, the event that preceded Willie's annual picnics. After that, Shaver bugged Waylon so often, Waylon reportedly offered him a hundred bucks to go away. "I was always in a meeting or on another call or 'not in.'" Waylon said."This went on for months….He caught me one night at RCA recording. 'I got these songs,' he said, 'and if you don't listen to them, I'm going to kick your ass right here in front of everybody.' He could have been killed there and then by some of my friends lining the walls, but I took Billy Joe in a back room and said, 'Hoss, you don't do things like that. I'm going to listen to one song, and if it ain't no good, I'm telling you goodbye. We ain't never going to talk again.' Billy played me 'Old Five And Dimers,' and then kept on going. He had a whole sackful of songs, and by the time he ran out of breath, I wanted to record all of them." Old Five And Dimers was Shaver's everyday poeticism at its best. Waylon had every reason to be impressed.